


Naked Attraction

by justrae2010



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Acting, Acting AU, Alternate Universe - No Ice Skating, Bottom Victor Nikiforov, Christmas fic, Happy Birthday Victor Nikiforov, M/M, Romance, Shy Katsuki Yuuri, Top Katsuki Yuuri, Workplace Relationship, naked, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 04:26:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13115994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justrae2010/pseuds/justrae2010
Summary: Victor was in heaven. Bent over with the mostgorgeousman thrusting his hips at him from behind in a well practised grind, smooth and sensual… and Victor cursed the camera crew watching them.Yuuri and Victor are professional body doubles for films. While the two are perfectly comfortable being naked and simulating sex on-set, they are shy and tentative off-set. Yuuri is just glad to find someone he can finally just chat to. Victor wants to do a hell of a lot more than just ‘ chat’ with him though.





	Naked Attraction

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Judy/John storyline in Love Actually - my _ultimate_ Christmas movie, because I am a sap at heart! And I think these two are just adorable.
> 
> This is my Christmas themed fic for the season for y'all, so... *sticks a bow on top* enjoy it...

Victor was in heaven. Five weeks before Christmas, bent over with the most  _ gorgeous  _ man thrusting his hips at him from behind in a well practised grind, smooth and sensual… and Victor cursed the camera crew watching them.

“Okay, that’s enough for today.” 

The gruff director’s voice rang out clear and crisp, bouncing off the walls of the fancy ...actually Victor wasn’t sure how to define where they were. In the scene, it was supposed to be a just a nice enough hotel room, but in reality it was like a room in a stately manor house - only  _ more _ . Beyond huge, with dramatic drapes on the wall, ridiculously large bed, more than enough space for all the production and camera crew around them, and… was that a man made stream running through the marble floor? Victor wasn’t entirely surprised. Everything about the scene was extra.

None of it compared to his fellow body double though as Victor straightened up with a bright smile already plastered on his face. He hoped he didn’t look too crazy.

A half-baked, polite smile was all that bounced back at him, but even that was enough to make his heart flutter. His co star had beautiful russet brown orbs, brushed by a matting of wild jet black hair from the top of the young man's head and framed by thick, fluttering eyelashes. He was cute. More than cute. Even that cream sweater he wore with a cable knit that should have belonged in a retirement home looked adorable on him, hugging his slim, but still shapely figure.

“Um, by the way-” and then  _ his voice, _ matched with that heartstopping sheepish smile. “-he introduced me as Yuki but it’s actually  _ Yuuri _ .” 

He offered out his hand to Victor. It was small and dainty, fingers surprisingly slender. The perfect shape to fit against Victor’s.

Victor took it without a second though.  _ Yuuri…  _ even better…even  _ cuter...  _ “Nice to meet you, Yuuri.” Victor all but purred, feeling himself staring at the smattering of pink lifting on Yuuri’s cheekbones. It was hypnotising. He cleared his throat just before it got too far past the point of creepy though. “He got me right though. Just Victor. I’m an old friend of the family.” 

The moment the words slipped out of Victor’s mouth, he wished he could take them back. Dammit, why did he say that? Like he was one of those who-you-know guys, like that was the only reason he’d gotten the job. Victor hated those kind of people. He internally facepalmed.  _ Oh God  _ \- 

Yuuri giggled.

_ Actually  _ giggled.

Victor felt his heart stop in his chest. Oh God, that must be what angels sounded like, fingers tingling in wake of Yuuri’s touch as his hand fell back to his side.

“Great,” Yuuri said, smile stretched wide on his face and a dusting of pink on his round cheeks. His eyes crinkled in the corners ever so slightly, gaze shining. Everything about it was soft, warm, and open. “It’s nice to meet you, Victor.”

Victor felt like swooning.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Yuuri looked just as perfect and Victor felt just as much of a tongue tied idiot. Yuuri made him feel ridiculously self conscious - something Victor wasn’t used to. He’d even almost been late to work that morning he’d spent so long panicking over what to wear since they were filming another day where they actually kept their clothes on. He had to look good for Yuuri. If he’d known they would still be perfecting the scene with Victor bent over against the wall though, he might have reconsidered the practically painted on grey skinny jeans he’d opted for that morning.

He shifted from leg to leg subtly as he straightened up for a break, trying to work the blood flow back through his thighs. Beside him, Yuuri was straightening his ugly grey sweater with a cream collar. 

_ Say something _ , Victor willed of himself as Yuuri dug out his glasses from his back pocket.  _ Anything _ , before Yuuri slipped away. There was already more space than Victor was happy with slipping between them as the younger man's eyes scanned around the room for the doorway.  _ Say something. Anything- _

“I thought Yakov was going to kill me when I got in today.” 

At first, Victor didn’t realise Yuuri was talking to him. He saw his mouth move, heard the words in his voice, but it wasn’t until half a minute later when a sweet smile flashed over Yuuri’s shoulder that he realised they were for him.

Oh God, he looked even more adorable with his blue framed glasses on, his shoulders hunching over as he dug his hands in his pockets. “The traffic was just-”

“I know!” Victor could have kissed him. “I barely made it in myself!”

That had nothing to do with the traffic, of course and a whole lot more to do with the mountain of clothes currently strewn out all over Victor’s bedroom, but he wasn’t about to tell Yuuri that. He’d seen the line of cars backed up along the street as he’d sprinted through the front doors to work. That counted.

Victor didn’t understand it. He was never like this. He was never nervous, or hurried, or constantly hanging on a thread. Even when he had a crush. He was always cool and collected. Not now though. Definitely not now. Now, he was getting intimately familiar with the racing pulse of his own heartbeat every time Yuuri was in a square mile radius. 

The weird thing was, Yuuri wasn’t exactly the best looking guy Victor had ever worked with. He wasn’t Victor’s type. He didn’t have the bulging biceps that Victor usually fell for, or the chiselled jawline, or the eyes so sharp they could lift his dick with even the slightest glance.

Yuuri wasn’t like that at all.

Somehow, he was better. Victor couldn’t explain it.

He should ask him out to lunch, Victor thought. Yuuri blinked at him with those adorable round eyes and Victor would have liked nothing more than to sneak off with him for the next hour to stare into them some more, in more depth. He wanted to hear Yuuri talk some more. Hell, Yuuri could recite binary code to him and Victor would listen to it like it was the most beautiful Shakespeare! They still had one more ridiculously long hour of filming though. One more hour and then maybe - if he was brave enough - Victor could just -

“Victor!”

_ Dammit _ .

Victor would recognise the voice of his irritating cousin anywhere; it always carried a particular disdain when yelling Victor’s name. Not exactly what he wanted Yuuri to hear.

Still, Victor forced himself to smile, tearing his eyes away from the confusion marring Yuuri’s gaze as he turned at the same time. They both found the blonde haired figure all but stomping up to them, hands dug deep in his leopard print jacket pockets and almost permanent scowl on his face. Yakov had gotten him work experience on the set.  _ Lucky them,  _ Victor thought dryly.

“Yurio.”

That got his cousin to stop. 

His sneakers squeaked on the ground, piercing green eyes glaring at Victor like he’d just spat in his face. “What did you just call me?”

Victor just shrugged, hand on his hip. “Yurio. His -” his head jerked in Yuuri’s direction, ignoring the little jolt the man gave at being drawn into the firing line. “-name is Yuuri too. So to save confusion, he’s Yuuri, you’re Yurio.”

“B-but that’s not-”

“I was here first!”

Again, Victor shrugged. A sneaky smirk joined it this time. “He’s a paid employee, and you’re just an intern. He wins.”

Oh, he was going to get it in the neck later - from both Yurio and Yakov, the director! It was worth it though, watching his little fifteen year old cousin’s cheeks redden and his eyes flash dangerously. How was a kid his age even  _ allowed _ on this kind of set, anyway? 

Victor could see Yurio’s fists clenching inside his pockets. “Whatever, old man,” he grumbled, eyes flickering over to Yuuri with his flush darkening.  _ That was interesting,  _ Victor thought with a smirk. His cousin caught it.  _ Shit.  _ Victor wouldn’t be surprised if he found his car keyed in the parking lot for that smirk. It would be worth it.

“Yakov needs you to take your top off this time. Lighting and camera need to know when they’re going to see the, um…”  _ nipples, _ muttered under Yurio’s breath, traitorously pink cheeks giving him away.

Victor’s stomach did somersaults. “Yes, okay.”

Suddenly, Victor was hyper aware of Yuuri’s gaze on his back, on the little hairs lifting at the back of his neck under the attention. His skin tingled under his cobalt blue shirt, as if Yuuri was already watching him through the clothes. What would Yuuri think? Victor worked hard to keep himself in shape, but what if Yuuri was into the thick muscles and heady strength that Victor was usually into as well? Victor wasn’t like that. He was slim and lean, chest shapely and shadow of his abs careful cut out in his abdomen.

A quiet chuckle came from behind him.

“At least it’s warm in here.” 

Victor followed the voice with his heart in his mouth, lips instantly curving into an all too real smile as he caught the last of Yuuri’s soft laugh. His cheeks were still pink.

Victor’s smile widened. Suddenly, he didn’t feel quite so nervous anymore. “Not always so lucky, are we?” His heart fluttered when Yuuri’s blush darkened, so he kept going. “Yakov’s quite good in that regard. Always looks after us. I know one time, I-”

“Oi, Victor! We haven’t got all day!”

Victor pressed his eyes shut.  _ Thanks. Thanks a lot, Yurio.  _

“Right,” he sighed.

He whipped off his shirt and tossed it somewhere out of camera sight. It wasn’t his favourite. Actually it was - but he was already bending over at the wall, Yuuri taking up his position behind him. The shirt could burn for all Victor cared in that moment.

He could feel every single one of Yuuri’s fingers holding onto his hips from behind, firm but careful as he started his fake thrusting again, simulating sex. Victor didn’t mind. Victor was comfortable. This was his job. Being bent over or manoeuvred in various states of undress was familiar for Victor, but what was not familiar was the tender press of Yuuri’s fingers against him, the warmth of his thumb as it grazed just over the waistline of Victor’s jeans. Victor’s eyes fluttered at the sensation. He’d never felt so alive.

The harsh squeak of sneakers broke through his illusion. “Oi! Fake Yuri. Yakov said if you could touch his chest.”

Yuuri’s thrusts stopped, his fingers tensing around Victor’s hips. 

“U-um, is that okay-”

“Yes.”  _ Oh God, Yuuri was too cute. _

Victor could feel himself smiling as he heard Yuuri clap his hands, rubbing his palms together. Warming them up. Victor’s heart melted - how sweet! 

Yuuri’s fingertips were still a bit cool as he carefully cupped the swell of Victor’s pectorals, but Victor didn’t mind. He just beamed. Like a lovestruck idiot. He could feel the hem of Yuuri’s shirt tickling his lower back as Yuuri leaned over a little to accommodate the new position, hips pistoning gently back and forth again.

He was just on the verge of having an out of body experience when Yurio decided to crash his bliss once more. 

“And massage the...”  _ nipples. _ “Yakov said.”

He must be doing it on purpose, Victor thought. _Revenge_. Victor didn’t blame him - nor was he _really_ that upset by the outcome.

“Right.”

He only just caught Yuuri’s stiff mutter behind him. Victor tried not to tense as his smile chipped. What did that tone mean? It didn’t sound good.

He barely felt Yuuri’s hands caress over his chest, fingers pads rubbing gently over the nub of his nipples. It didn’t mean anything. It was work, after all. And it was a dress rehearsal. Victor’s body stayed unresponsive, the movements mechanical. Yuuri’s touch was smooth and tender - experienced. How long had he been doing this kind of work? Victor had almost lost count of the years he’d been a body double himself, what was once thrilling and exciting now just a going-through-the-motions. Maybe he was just getting too old for this…

Behind him, he could feel that Yuuri was blushing, while his hands massaged and his hips thrusted. Heat rolled off him just above the backs of Victor’s shoulder blades. It made Victor smile. He tried not to grin too hard - tried and failed. 

The silence stretched on though, stiff and just a little awkward. Once again, Victor found himself nagged by his inner voice to say something.

And once again, Yuuri beat him to it.

“Queen’s Street was the worst for me.”

Victor’s eyes rolled subtly upwards, muttering a silent thank you to whatever deity had brought Yuuri to that auditioning studio a month ago. The man was a blessing. 

He all but beamed at the wall as Yuuri went on to ramble lightheartedly about the traffic, trying to work out where Yuuri might live from the streets he mentioned. Of course, Victor didn’t care about the traffic. But to hear this wonderful man speak, he would fake an avid interest in the lifecycle of an ant if that was what it would take. He grumbled along with Yuuri at the right moments,  _ ugh _ -ed in agreement, laughed quietly … and the hour flew by.

They didn’t have lunch together.

But they did the next day.

 

* * *

Yuuri defied every expectation.

If he blushed at fake fucking Victor from behind, Victor was sure that when the time came for them to actually strip off, he would flush scarlet. Victor didn’t mind. The camera wasn’t bothered about their faces after all, just their bodies. If anything, Victor was excited to see it actually. He thought Yuuri’s blush was adorable.

But instead with three weeks to Christmas, Yuuri lay on the bed between Victor’s thighs as the other actor fake-rode him - as naked as the day he was born - and he was rolling his eyes at the new judge on the latest talent show on TV.

“I can’t understand why he’s not married though,” Victor said in response to Yuuri’s scoff. The judge was a good looking guy. Victor would.

Speaking of what else Victor would do…

Yuuri’s body was even more perfect than he’d imagined - and Victor didn’t even understand why he was so attracted to it! Of course, Yuuri had a good body. He’d had to to be a body double. But it was more than just being slim, or fit like Victor was. His skin was a gorgeous pale tan all over, soft and oh-so tempting over the lean lines of muscle along his arms and filling out his thick thighs. His chest was slim and his stomach a little round, waist pinched with the tiniest rolls of fat. And when he’d  _ jiggled  _ getting onto the bed - barely batting an eyelid at his own nakedness - Victor felt like he had ascended.

It was the exact opposite of what Victor usually went for, and if they hadn’t been so absorbed in talking about such a captivating subject, Victor was sure he would have been sporting an impressive erection from dedicating his attention to Yuuri’s body instead.

Yuuri on the other hand didn’t seem at all fazed beneath Victor. He lay there while Victor’s naked hips ground down against his, with a charming smile on his face while they both talked, laughed, argued over who was the best contestant so far in the competition. Victor was partial to the lady who seemed to be fond of wearing skin tight rompers. Yuuri preferred the guy who had ridiculously wild black hair and lived in leather.

All the while, Victor rode Yuuri as he would have done if they were fucking. That was the point, after all. Maybe he put in a little more effort than usual.

Because it was Yuuri.

Beneath him, said Yuuri shook his head, pursing his lips together in disagreement. “Married to the job,” he said. “Either that or gay as a-”

“Hey, Victor.”

Victor sighed, stilling his hips and tipping his head back dramatically. Yurio’s timing was just getting better and better every day...

The teen crept into the corner of his vision. His bright blonde hair and hideous tiger print shirt were pretty hard to ignore. “Yakov wants the-”  _ nipples _ “-lowered a bit. Still on for Overwatch at lunch, Katsudon?”

Victor’s mouth opened instinctively to reply - then he just frowned. What had he just said? Over-what? His gaze canted across to the gaudily dressed teenager, question already on his lips. Yurio wasn’t looking at him though - he was looking down at Yuuri. The same Yuuri laid between Victor’s naked thighs, eyes round and innocent like he wasn’t in the most compromising position imaginable while casually chit-chatting.

The Japanese man lifted his head off the bed slightly, shooting Yurio a grin. Something competitive sparkled in his eyes, bold like Victor hadn’t seen before. He liked it.

“You got it,” he said. “Dibs on Genji!”

“Fuck you!”

A middle finger flipped over Yurio’s shoulder as he turned on his heel back to the camera crew where Yakov was busy yelling at some poor cameraman to get the damned angle right. Yuuri just laughed, melting back into the sheets.

Victor was still frowning as he braced his hands either side of Yuuri’s head and leaned down as instructed, bringing his chest down lower. He couldn’t help asking - “Sorry, what did he call you? Katsu-”

“Katsudon? Oh.” Yuuri’s eyes blinked round.  _ Adorable,  _ Victor couldn’t help but think. “It’s a deep fried pork and rice dish from Japan. I made it for him last week while we were gaming. It’s my mother’s specialty back at the family inn in Hasetsu.” His cheeks glowed, shifting in the sheets. “I love it. It’s my favourite.”

_ Oh _ … that was cute.

The pink creeping over Yuuri’s face was just … Victor had butterflies just looking at it. He savoured the sensation – more so that the wave of jealousy trying to rear its head at the mention that  _ Yurio got to spend time with Yuuri outside of work _ ! Victor wanted that.

Granted, he knew nothing about gaming. When had that stopped him though? He’d played Pokemon on a Gameboy like everybody else had. Once. Like, ten years ago. It was still better than nothing though, right? It couldn’t be that different. He should ask Yuuri. An evening sat in front of a game console with Yuuri’s arms wrapped around him from behind, tapping the buttons on the remote over Victor’s fingers… yes, Victor wanted that.

He could feel the smile on his face was ludicrously wide at the idea. He’d wait for that to dim down into something a little less insane before he asked.

And the news that Yuuri  _ cooked –  _ Victor wanted to taste.

“I’ve never had it.”

So that was where Yuuri’s podge came from, Victor thought fondly, hoping Yuuri didn’t notice the flex of his thighs around Yuuri’s soft, wide hips as he got comfortable in the new position.

He felt more unsteady on all fours over Yuuri than just braced on his knees. The satin sheets were slippery under his knees and palms, Victor nudging just a little to make sure the patch supporting him wasn’t just going to slide away from beneath him the moment he started to move. He couldn’t imagine the horror he’d feel if he slipped over Yuuri, if he knocked him in the eye or jabbed him in the dick-

“I’ll have to make it for you one day.”

The smile that beamed up at Victor knocked the breath clean out of his lungs, stomach flipping deliciously.  _ Yes _ , he thought to himself breathlessly.  _ So much yes. _

It was only then he noticed how close they were.

He didn’t bat an eyelid at the way their bodies were flush. That was work. But he did very much notice the way his face was mere inches away from Yuuri’s. He could make out each long, fluttering eyelash, each grove of gold delicately carving through the molten russet brown of Yuuri’s irises. He could see each delicate pink patch of skin woven amongst the tan to make up Yuuri’s blushing cheeks. And when he smiled, Victor could see the the honest flare of raw joy that glowed in the younger man's gaze, blush moving down to paint the top of Yuuri’s chest with colour. 

His mouth opened, pink lips paused parted for a silent moment, as if still deciding whether he should speak or not. Victor could see the indecision dance playfully in his eyes. 

“I have to say, Victor,” Yuuri finally said, so quietly that only Victor could hear him no matter who might be adjusting the light above them or spraying Victor’s thighs with misted fake sweat. “It’s a real pleasure. I’m not usually very good at making friends so, um, it’s lovely to find someone I can actually talk to.”

That was it. 

Victor had ascended.

He felt his eyes pop wide and his heart swell fit to burst in his chest, deafened by the roar of his own blood pounding in his ears. Yuuri liked him. Yuuri liked talking to him. Yuuri had called him a friend - okay, maybe not quite, but close enough! Victor would take it. 

He couldn’t stop smiling. He beamed so wide that tears beaded in the corners of his eyes, a lump lodging itself in his throat as he tried - and failed - to find the right words to tell Yuuri just how much it meant to him to hear that from him. Why - why did those few, precious words make him feel so emotional? God please don’t let him start crying. It had only been three freaking weeks...

“Oh,” he finally choked out, fluttering his eyelashes furiously. “Thank you. Y-you too.”

And he meant it. He really meant it.

His gaze never once severed from Yuuri’s, even at the tempting glimpse of the younger man’s glistening pink lips out of the corner of his eye. All he’d have to do was dip down, one-two inches and close the gap-

“Move, moron!”

Victor froze, rolling his eyes shut. Right. He’d forgotten the other fifty or so people in the room with them.  _ So Yuuri gets a cute nickname and I get moron,  _ he thought dryly to himself.

Beneath him, Yuuri giggled.

The sound was magical.

Victor simply had to ask this man out for coffee. Even if just to thank him for the last three weeks - the  _ best _ three weeks of his life. He hoped the filming for this movie would never end. He wasn’t sure what he’d do when he didn’t get to see Yuuri every day anymore, wouldn’t get to hear his laugh, see his blush, gush over the latest hot celebrity with him-

“Victor!”

Oh. Right. Filming.

Victor pushed forward before he could get distracted again.

It didn’t work so well - since Yuuri pushed up at the same time, head lifting as Victor’s chest dipped. He all but got a mouth full of Victor’s nipple, headbutting Victor’s collarbone.

Victor was too late to stifle his gasp, jerking back quickly. 

“Oh, I’m sorry-”

“S-sorry! Are you alright-”

Victor expected Yuuri to blush. Expected  _ himself  _ to blush. As his eyes linked with Yuuri’s though, both their lips still curved in the vague remnants of the past moment’s smiles and apologies dying on their tongues, neither one of them did. They just smiled wider.

* * *

 

 

“Perfect, just like that!”

Yurio was in a good mood today, Victor thought as the teen’s voice rang out significantly less aggressive sounding than usual, one week before Christmas. Yakov was letting him work with the cameras this time. Maybe that had something to do with it. He could hear the smile in the kid’s voice, almost wishing he could turn around and see it for himself; it was such a rare occurrence.

He couldn’t though, stuck on his knees in front of Yuuri, head bobbing in front of Yuuri’s groin. He didn’t exactly not enjoy where he was though.

The marble floor of the bathroom was harsh on his knees and the brown wig hiding his bright silver locks itched against the sides of his face. Still, it was all at the back of his mind. More important things drew his attention. Like the perfect view of the soft rolls of fat perched on Yuuri’s hips from his angle, hands cradling them carefully.

He itched to sink his fingers into the soft flesh, to get a real handful of Yuuri’s thick thighs and backside. It was so close, yet so far. Teasing.

He really needed to ask this man on a date.

The moment had never been right though. Every time they  _ finally _ got a moment alone, Yakov would yell, Yurio would bark at Yuuri about something Over-whatever related, his phone would ring, lunch would arrive, a car would beep at them for standing in the road… it had made the last week torturously tense. 

A part of Yuuri wondered if it was fate. Perhaps the universe was trying to tell him something. Perhaps they weren’t meant to be together. Maybe they wouldn’t work out. Yuuri be different outside of work. He might shout, or be too messy, or be rude or-

“Erm, sorry to be forward, but, um,” Yuuri swallowed hard above him, eyes seemingly looking at everywhere but at Victor himself. “You don’t fancy going for a christmas drink do you? You know nothing implied or… I don’t know, or maybe we could go see something christmassy, or-or something. Obviously if you don't want to then that’s, er - that’s fine too, or-”

_ Perfect _ , Victor decided, heart in his mouth. Yuuri was perfect. Officially perfect. 

“Yes,” he said, just a little too quickly. He didn’t care, not bothering the cage the grin stretching over his face. “Yes, I would love that.”

_ If only you knew, _ Victor couldn’t help but think. 

He bobbed his head a little more enthusiastically after that, internally screaming with delight as Yuuri breathed out a relieved smile above him. He was going on a date with Yuuri Katsuki.

 

* * *

Saturday.

Victor had a date on Saturday. That coming Saturday. Three days away, Saturday. He was on cloud nine. Nothing could wipe the grin off his face that week.

Yuuri seemed the same. There was a new spring in his step when he stepped into the studios, a freshness to his smile that snapped Victor to life better than the sharpest coffee. He was even dressing better - for the brief time Victor got to see Yuuri with clothes on at least - ugly sweaters traded in for skinny jeans, long sleeved shirts, and an open leather jacket that made Victor’s mouth water.

Even when filming started and Victor’s thighs were straddling either side of Yuuri’s face, Yuuri still hadn’t stopped smiling.

“Thank you so much,” he said again for the hundredth time. Victor didn’t mind. He’d never get tired of hearing it, nor seeing the crinkles in the corners of Yuuri’s eyes and the free, relaxed grin on his face. “Usually I’m very shy about this kind of thing so… thanks.”

_ No,  _ Victor thought, beaming as Yuuri’s hands settled on the backs of his thighs.  _ Thank you.  _ He couldn't wait for Saturday.

_

There was a conspiracy. By the time Victor and Yuuri arrived back at Victor’s apartment on Saturday night, Victor was convinced. Some sort of conspiracy that warped time, and evaporated minutes, disintegrated hours, and left Victor feeling like the past five hours had passed as quickly as if they had been five minutes. It wasn’t fair. He only just stopped himself from pouting.

The whole day had gone way too quickly. 

It had started off as just a movie. 

Just a movie had become a movie and a stroll through a Christmas market.

A stroll had become a stroll and dinner.

Dinner had transcended into dinner and ice skating in the town square. 

Victor had adored every second of it, only calling it a night when the makeshift ice rink had kicked them off to close for the night and he guiltily remembered he had left Makkachin alone for way longer than he should have. Any  _ accidents  _ she might have left for him on the kitchen floor were well deserved. 

Even so, Victor was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt as he stood at his doorstep, still chatting and laughing with Yuuri.

He just made it so  _ easy. _

“Well, I better be getting inside actually,” he finally admitted, head jerking at his front door. reluctantly. “My dog…”

Yuuri’s eyes blinked round as dinner plates, shining. “You have a dog?” He smiled. “I love dogs!”

In his head, Victor whined quietly to himself at the sudden adoring ache in his chest at Yuuri’s blissfully heartwarming expression. _ Oh God  _ \- could this man get any more perfect?

“Maybe I can meet him next time?” Yuuri went on excitedly. “We could take him for a walk - oh, I’m sure my mother has got some dog toys left over from my old poodle that your dog might like. I’ll ask her. Maybe we could...”

Yuuri’s mouth kept moving, but Victor stopped hearing the words. Honestly, he was still recovering from  _ ‘next time’. _

Yuuri had said  _ ‘next time’. _

Yuuri wanted a next time.

Victor had a second date with Yuuri.  _ Yes!  _

It took everything in him to not just clap Yuuri’s face between his gloved hands and slap a messy, passionate kiss on his mouth. Victor held himself back. Just.

Then Yuuri suddenly fell silent.

His cheeks rushed a little rosier than just the the pale flush the winter air had nipped on the surface of his skin, eyes flickering shyly between Victor and the space between his shoes. Victor thought it was just about the most adorable thing he’d ever seen.

“Sorry.” Yuuri smiled sheepishly. “It’s getting cold, isn’t it?” 

Victor’s breath caught. He couldn’t stop staring.

“Yeah, a little…”

Yuuri looked perfect in his simple brown coat, grey cat-eared wooly hat, and bright blue scarf that would have looked hideous on anybody but him. The scatter of colour on his cheeks set Victor’s heart on fire.

He should invite Yuuri in, he suddenly thought. Another drink. A mince pie. Meet Makkachin now… anything! Just to spend more time with Yuuri.

Only it was their first date.

And Victor didn’t want to blow his chances by being too forward.

He pressed his lips together in a smile, tensing his jaw to hold back the invitation that would just spill out if he wasn’t careful and could ruin everythi-

“Well, goodnight.”

His heart still balked when Yuuri said goodbye though. He couldn’t help it. He still didn’t  _ want  _ Yuuri to go… 

“Night.” It sighed way too breathlessly from his lips. 

Yuuri didn’t leave though. He didn’t move. He just stood there, staring just as intently as Victor with his hands dug deep into his coat pockets, uncertainty glowing in his nervous gaze. When it flickered down - for the shortest of seconds - to his lips, Victor quickly realised what he was trying to decide.

Was it just him, or was Yuuri leaned in a little closer than a moment ago?

“Er.”

Oh, Victor wanted to drink that ‘er’ right off Yuuri’s lips. He couldn’t resist his own eyes flickering down too. Yuuri’s mouth was pretty and perfect, his lips just a little chapped - but Victor didn’t care about that. He just wanted to know what they tasted like.

And Yuuri was  _ definitely  _ edging closer now.

Victor’s eyelashes fluttered, giving Yuuri the best ‘ _ kiss me _ ’ eyes he had. It had never failed him yet. How could Yuuri resist?

Their faces were so close, just inches apart. Victor could feel the ghosting warmth of Yuuri’s breath over his cheek, so close he could almost taste it. It was tantalising, teasing -  _ so, so sexy _ in the way only Yuuri could be! He could make out every grove of dark brown curving through the russet brown of Yuuri’s irises, could see exactly where the pale skin morphed into a cold kissed red on the tip of his nose...

Yuuri just smiled bashfully, a red blush searing over his cheeks. He glanced down, eyelashes fanning out over his cheek. “Er, okay.”

Then, he leaned back.

Victor swore silently to himself, blinking himself out of his seductive stupor. _ Damn it  _ \- apparently, Yuuri could resist.

Uncertainty glowed in Yuuri’s eyes, shy and careful. Too careful. Victor had seen it tweaking in Yuuri’s gaze all along, but had never thought it would actually  _ win.  _ He’d thought Yuuri wanted to kiss him just as much as he did - he could see in Yuuri’s eyes that he did! Why was he resisting? He looked so torn, flickering over Victor like he just couldn’t resist looking at him then flushing scarlet when he noticed Victor noticing what he was doing.

Victor wasn’t torn though - he knew exactly what he wanted. 

_ For God’s sake. _

He stepped forward and closed the gap himself. 

His lips pressed sweetly against Yuuri’s, eyes fluttering shut and heart stomach doing somersaults of adoration at the the squeak that slipped Yuuri’s lips. Victor moaned quietly -  _ finally  _ he was kissing Yuuri!

It wasn’t even anything that intimate. Victor’s mouth just pressed against Yuuri’s, lips barely parted and mouth still, not moving to deepen the kiss or pull away, just content to be close to Yuuri in a new way to satisfy his burning fascinating with his gorgeous co-star. He could taste the sugar on Yuuri’s lips from the donuts they’d had in the park. Victor smirked, cheeks grazing pink. Okay, maybe he was more than just  _ fascinated. _

He could feel the heat rolling off Yuuri’s face long before he pulled away, grazed with a vision of a beet red Yuuri when he finally dragged himself away. His heart ached. Damn, what was wrong with him?

It had only been four weeks...

Victor just beamed - the best four weeks of his life.

“All I want for Christmas,” he found himself saying, fighting the urge to tuck a stray bit of hair behind Yuuri’s ear. He didn’t trust that once he started touching Yuuri, he would be able to stop. “Is you.”

Finally, Yuuri smiled. He choked on a laugh. 

It was only then Victor realised just how corny what he’d just said was. His eyes rolled - Jesus, really what  _ was  _ wrong with him?

“Right.”

That one word went right through Victor, feeling his own blush darken with embarrassment. Maybe the kiss hadn’t been what Yuuri had wanted after all.

Eyes low, Victor turned to go inside.

“Victor-”

Victor blinked back over his shoulder.

And warm lips covered his. 

Victor gasped, eyes shot wide and body stiffening in surprise - then he felt Yuuri’s hand at his elbow, saw the flutter of Yuuri’s dark eyelashes, felt the taste of his plump lips… Victor sank into the embrace with a skipping heartbeat. It wasn’t perfect. Yuuri’s mouth was ever so just off centre from Victor’s, kissing him face forward rather than tilting their heads for a better angle, their noses bumping… Victor wouldn’t change it for the world.

His cheeks were glowing when Yuuri pulled back with a breathless huff, already feeling the ridiculous beam stretch over his face. For once, he didn’t try and control it.

_ Yuuri had kissed him! _

And he looked just as shocked as Victor did about that fact. If he could get any redder, Victor was pretty sure he would’ve. How did he even have any blood left in circulation with the amount that must be flaming his face? Was Yuuri going to faint? He looked a little breathless, eyes a little wide. If he did, Victor was more than happy to bring him inside, set him down on the bed and keep him warm with a more real-life rehearsal of what they did on set when he eventually did come to-

“Thank you,” Yuuri said, smile fluttering over his lips. He took an awkward step backwards, only just not slipping on an invisible patch of ice. “Good.”

Was Yuuri…  was he thanking Victor for letting him kiss him?  _ Oh God _ , Victor thought, Yuuri was just too cute! 

He took a step back himself though, nudging the door of his apartment open ever so slightly and slipping a leg inside. He could already hear Makkachin quietly panting against his jeans, excited to see him. If he saw Yuuri, he would go nuts. And as much as Victor wanted to see Yuuri bowled over and smothered in love by his overexcited dog, he wanted to be the only one to kiss Yuuri tonight.

He shot Yuuri one last smile. “Goodnight.”

Victor knew he had to shut the door and go inside, but he savoured every second he had until then, watching Yuuri through the tiniest crack between the door and the doorframe before Yuuri would realise that it was actually still open. The lock clicked in place, cutting them off officially.

It took all but half a heartbeat for Victor to flatten himself against the peephole in his door, heart hammering wildly in his chest for more of Yuuri.

Outside, he watched Yuuri drop his head into his hands. His heart skipped a beat -  _ oh shit. _ His smile faltered. Had Yuuri not liked it after all? Wishing they’d never come out? Regretting even asking Victor out in the first place? The young man’s fingers dragged down over his face, revealing more and more of his red stained cheeks. 

Victor held his breath.

Then Yuuri punched the air. “Yes!”

Victor’s beam slotted back into place.

It was mirrored on Yuuri’s face on the other side of the door. His grin was dazzling, pushing up his round, red cheeks and scrunching his eyes shut, body twisting with the force of sticking his fist in the air so much he all but pirouetted outside Victor’s apartment, spinning on the toes of his Converse with perfect balance. Victor was jealous. 

At least, he would have been if he hadn’t been so absolutely mesmerised with the man outside his door, longing the just wrench it open and draw Yuuri into another - somewhat more heated - kiss by the lapels of his coat.

Makkachin whined around Victor’s ankles.

Victor’s hand just swatted blindly beneath him, his poodle pushing his head up into the heel of his master’s palm. 

“In a minute, Makka.” Victor said quietly, more aware of the sound thickness of the door than Yuuri was.

Makkachin would survive without supper for another five minutes. Once Victor looked away though, he would never get those five minutes of Yuuri - joyful and proud, happy and  _ alone - _ ever again. He stayed glued to his door. 

Yuuri cleared his throat quietly as he turned back from his pirouette and set his foot down, eyes glancing to the side like he sensed somebody was watching him. He still looked cute. He would always looked cute. Even the way he straightened his coat and pulled his hat further down over his red tipped ears - cute! His hands dug into his pockets, smiling sweetly to himself. 

When he walked away, Victor craned his neck, twisting every which way he could to keep watching as long as he could. His beam was ear to ear, heart on the moon with happiness.

A wet nose nudged the back of his thigh.

“I know, Makka. I know.” he murmured more to himself than to his dog, still pressed against the door as the last of Yuuri’s hat disappeared down the steps of the apartment complex. “I think he’s amazing too.”

 

* * *

They went on another date. Then another. And another. It was almost every night after work that they saw each other, seeing movies, grabbing pizza, watching the switch on of the Christmas lights together…

Then, the day before Christmas Eve, Yuuri brought him to meet his family. Victor felt over the moon.

He kept a respectable distance from Yuuri as he and the Katsuki’s bundled through the doors of the ice rink, though his fingers itched to hold Yuuri’s hand. He dug them deep in his coat pockets, resisting the urge. He was determined to make a good impression on Yuuri’s family. He wanted them to like him. 

They liked him enough to invite Yuuri’s new  _ friend _ over the the local ice show with them so far at least. Apparently, the kids of an old friend of Yuuri’s were performing in it. 

Yuuri’s father glanced over his shoulder as they found their seats in the stands. The man seemed to have a permanently cheery expression, with neatly parted dark hair and an adorably old fashioned bow tie and waistcoat on. 

“How did you two meet again?” he asked, happy sparkle in his gaze as it settled on Victor’s. “Yuuri’s been very mysterious.”

Beside him, Yuuri’s face flushed red.

Victor’s fingers froze unwinding the scarf from his neck. 

“Um-”

“Er-”

They both just looked at each other, gazes clashed with surprise and - not so well disguised - horror. Victor was stumped. He wasn’t often stumped.

He was fully aware that the truth was definitely not something parent appropriate if Yuuri wasn’t even comfortable holding his hand in public yet. What was acceptable though? Victor wracked his brain for a sweet, yet realistic story. Or would Yuuri not like that? What if he saw that as lying to his parents? Oh God, Victor didn’t want that either-

Yuuri stifled his giggles behind his hand. His eyes glanced up to Victor, sparkling like the most perfect stars.

Victor just stared, hypnotised. 

He didn’t realise his mouth was still moving until it was too late.

“Your son pretends to fuck me on camera.”

_ Shit. _

 

* * *

Victor wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Yuuri’s family - and Yuuri himself - hadn’t been able to look at him again at the ice show without blushing furiously and looking away again. He’d tried to pass it off as a ‘work joke’. It didn’t work. They all knew he was lying.

Monday came round too quick, Christmas Eve. 

Victor didn’t want to face Yuuri again. It was the last shoot before they broke up for the holidays but still, Victor wasn’t sure he could bear it with his embarrassment so fresh and raw.

And if  _ he  _ felt embarrassed, Yuuri must be dying.

He tried to call in sick. He’d leaned over a freshly boiled kettle and hung upside down off the edge of his bed to feign a runny nose, yelled into his pillow until his voice was hoarse, and had sucked in a few lungfuls of the frosty air outside for good measure until his lungs shrivelled in his chest… only Yakov had said that if Victor didn’t show up in the next half an hour that he would come over and drag Victor out of bed himself. It was the only situation even more humiliating than just facing Yuuri outright.

Victor hadn’t been able to look Yuuri in the eye when they’d met on set, stripping off his clothes slowly and stiffly. 

Beside him, Yuuri just yanked his shirt off in one smooth motion, unabashed. “Yurio said your birthday’s soon?” he said, hands moving to his belt.

Victor just blushed hard, taking his time with sliding his arms out of his sleeves one at a time, eyes on his shoes. He felt more naked than usual that day for some reason. Goosebumps rippled along his exposed torso. A hand touched self consciously to his shoulder, arm crossing over his chest.

“Yeah, it’s the twenty fifth.”

Yuuri paused, fingers on the button of his jeans. “December?”

“Yes.”

“...as in Christmas Day?”

Victor scrunched his eyes shut, trying to hide the catch of his breath as Yuuri’s jeans hit the floor, leaving him in just his black boxer briefs. Yuuri really wasn’t making this fair. “ _ Da.” _

“Victor!”

Victor jumped. 

His eyes leapt open in surprise, instantly finding Yuuri - and Yuuri’s pout. It looked unfairly cute, eyes round and adorable. Victor’s heart skipped a beat, blush darkening.

And Yuuri’s shoulders slumped. “Why didn't you tell me? It’s tomorrow...”

Victor wanted to take a picture of pouty Yuuri. He wanted it on his phone, plastered around his apartment, buried with it in his hands - because it was undoubtedly the cutest thing Victor had ever seen. Including Makkachin. Not that he’d ever admit that to his beloved pet.

And it completely threw him off. “Um, you…” he fumbled for words, blinking dumbly. “You’re not mad at me?”

Yuuri just frowned.

“Mad, wha- no!” His head cocked to the side. “Why would I be mad?”

Victor’s face flamed at the mere memory. He shuffled on the spot awkwardly, eyes tracing a particularly interesting grove in the marble pattern of the floor next to his left foot.

“You know… from the, er …  _ ice show…” _

There was a stiff pause, Yuuri’s expression frozen.

Then his eyes shot wide, mouth parting in a perfect ‘o’. “ _ Oh- _ ” his lips cracked in a smile, pink blushing his cheeks. “I wouldn’t worry about that. My parents found it really funny. They liked you actually.”

_ What? _

Victor’s eyes shot up, so wide they felt like they might just pop out of his skull of he wasn’t careful. He couldn’t help it. And - oh, god - now Yuuri was looking at him so adorably bashful it should be illegal, the colour painting on his cheeks so pretty it was like it was kissed on by angels. But even more amazing than that was the fact that Yuuri’s parents  _ liked him _ \- even after that embarrassing display of word vomit. 

“R-really?”

He felt his face glow, but made no move to hide it, heart swelling with adoration. Yuuri wasn’t mad. Yuuri was  _ smiling  _ at him.

Victor moaned quietly, deep in his chest. It really wasn’t fair to ask him to think straight when Yuuri was smiling at him like that. “I liked them too,” he blurted honestly, lips curving in a breathless grin - all his birthday and Christmas wishes were all coming true at once.

It wasn’t until they had started filming that Victor came out his head again, too lost in his blissfully swimming thoughts. Yuuri liked him. Yuuri’s parents liked him. That was enough of a confirmation to be able to ask Yuuri out on another date, right? Maybe something even fancier this time now that he had family approval. Maybe he could invite Yuuri to meet his family in turn - or Makkachin, at least. That would be great. Yuuri would love Makkachin-

“What are you doing for Christmas?”

Victor blinked back to reality.

Warm chocolate brown stared down at him. Yuuri knelt between Victor’s thighs, one hand braced on the mattress beside Victor’s head and the other holding the Russian’s thigh molded around his hip. Victor’s arm looped around Yuuri’s neck, holding them almost chest to chest.  _ Missionary _ , he thought dully. Nothing special, but convenient to chat to.

Their faces were inches apart, Victor about to make out every fleeting shade of brown darting through Yuuri’s irises. He dragged his happy mind kicking and screaming from their blissful depths, trying to remember Yuuri’s question.

“Nothing, I think.” he said, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling in thought. “Just movies with Makkachin. Call to Russia.”

“You’re not going home?”

Victor just shrugged. 

The movement just made Yuuri’s next mimicked thrust a little too close to home than usual. Neither one of them even blinked.

“Russia isn’t really home anymore,” he said, tweaking his lips in a humourless smile. “Just a place I was born. We don’t really celebrate Christmas much in Russia anyway - not like other countries do, at least.”

“Oh...” 

Victor didn’t mind.

His parents still lived in St Petersburg, but Victor didn’t even remember the last time he’d seen them that wasn’t through a laptop screen. It was life. He’d gotten used to it. 

He’d never really realised how lonesome it was though until he had someone that he actually  _ missed _ spending time with. And he would miss Yuuri. That week break in filming for one stupid holiday was  _ way  _ too long apart. Victor pouted at the mere thought, spirits sinking.

“Do you want to come over to mine for Christmas?”

Victor’s jaw fell open.

“I-I mean, only if you want to,” Yuuri stammered, cheeks flushing red. “There’s plenty of room and I might not overeat so much this year if there’s somebody else to share the extra food with. My mother always makes too much anyway. Makkachin can come too! I would really like-I mean, um, only if you want to like I said-”

“Yes.”

Victor was on cloud nine, heart thudding hard in his chest. Artificial light spilled behind Yuuri, framing him in a backdrop of white. 

_ Like an angel. _

“So much yes.”

 

* * *

It was the best birthday ever. 

Victor showed up wrapped up in his trench coat and scarf, gloves on his hands and hat atop his head. Yuuri opened the door to him in a Christmas jumper with a snowman on the front, knitted orange nose protruding from his chest. He put his palm up the moment Victor opened his mouth, beaming.

“I know,” he said, cheeks dusting pink. “Just go with it. My mother’s idea.”

Victor just beamed on delighted. 

“She’s got one for you too.”

His smile slid.

It didn’t take much to get it back though. The family fawned over Makkachin and the Christmas jumper Yuuri’s mother gave Victor was so bad it couldn’t be anything but brilliant. Who knew that Drake would look good knitted, dabbing underneath ‘ _ You know when those sleigh bells ring’ _ . They ate ‘til they could barely move. Played charades until Victor forgot what personal dignity even meant anymore. Watched the Christmas special of Hiroko’s favourite TV drama. Yuuri’s father filled their glasses with more alcohol after every sip. Presents were given. Kisses exchanged. Victor nearly died when Yuuri’s mother pulled him into Yuuri’s annual festive family selfie for his friend in Thailand. And then just when it couldn’t get any better, Yuuri came out of the kitchen with a little cake in his hands and three lit candles sticking out of the icing, singing  _ Happy Birthday _ in a slightly questionable pitch.

Victor loved it. 

He loved everything. 

“I used to have long hair,” he suddenly said to Yuuri when they were sat on the bedroom of Yuuri’s floor, sharing some glitter berry juice with edible sparkles that Yuuri had kept under his bed. Apparently, Mari always stole them if he left them up for grabs in the fridge.

He was a little drunk. Okay - more than a little, but it didn’t matter. The Katsuki’s had already offered him to stay the night and Victor was more than happy, mind buzzing and fingertips tingling at the thought of spending the last waking moments of his birthday with Yuuri, at the chance to see Yuuri in cute pyjamas, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and hair wild as he came down for breakfast in the morning.

For now though, Yuuri’s eyes just popped wide. “No way!” He almost choked on his drink.

Victor pressed his lips together, cocking his head proudly.

“I did!”

He wasn’t sure what had made him say it. A tiny moment of silence that had lapsed between them and Victor had once again lost control of his tongue. It seemed to happen quite a lot around Yuuri.

“I don’t believe it,” Yuuri shook his head, taking another sip from his glass bottle. “Not without a picture.”

That glint in Yuuri’s eye, that challenge…oh, Victor couldn't resist. A quick scroll through his Instagram easy brought up his evidence, opting for a picture of him when he was in his late teens hugging Makkachin, his long silver locks flowing over his shoulder while he’d smiled at the camera. One of his last outings with his parents before he’d moved to America. Yuuri didn’t need to know about that last bit though.

“There,” Victor said proudly, handing the phone over. “Proof.”

Yuuri’s jaw dropped.

“Oh my God,” he spilled, staring down at the picture and tapping the screen when it dimmed, threatening to lock. “You look beautiful…”

Victor’s heart did somersaults.

Yuuri’s blush darkened. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, eyes glancing up shyly at Victor through his eyelashes. He handed the phone back, clearing his throat and taking another not so subtle swig of his drink to cover his embarrassment. “W-why did you cut it?”

Victor’s shit eating grin stretched on for miles. “It was just time,” he shrugged, leaning forward eagerly on his knees and tucking his legs underneath him. Yuuri’s words still bouncing wonderfully around in his head. Yuuri thought he was beautiful... “What about you, Yuuri? Tell me something.”

He wanted to know everything. Every freckle he’d had as a teenager, where he’d worked part time to get extra money through college, what girl he’d first kissed… okay, maybe not the last one - not proud of the jealous flare that jolted through him - but everything that mattered to Yuuri. Everything that made him the man he was. Victor would never get tired of learning about him, discovering more about what made Yuuri tick, what made him happy. 

Delight spread warm and comforting in Victor’s chest watching the blush crawl over Yuuri’s cheeks - Yuuri was going to tell him. Whatever it was, Victor gave him his undivided attention.

Yuuri set his bottle down on the floor between his knees, eyes following. “I…” He sucked in a deep breath. “I used to be fat.”

Victor’s mouth fell open. “No way...”

His eyes dipped down to Yuuri’s torso before he could help it, silently cursing when Yuuri’s blush darkened - Yuuri saw. It didn’t stop him from looking though. He couldn’t help it. Victor just couldn’t envision it. He couldn’t imagine Yuuri being anything but his slim and delectable self, with his slight curves and strong thighs.

Even when the picture waved in front of his face, glowing from Yuuri’s old Facebook profile, he still couldn’t quite connect the dots.

“Oh my God,” he just breathed, drinking in every pixel of the picture. 

Yuuri’s rosy round cheeks smiled out at him, his round stomach unquestionably larger and only made worse by the mountain of clothes Yuuri seemed to have decided to dress himself in to hide it. The donut in his hand didn’t help either. It was very … American. Despite everything though, he was still Yuuri. Still smiley and happy. Still blushing. Still soft and kind eyed. Still… hot somehow. It was adorable.

Victor pressed his lips together, chest swelling with adoration. “Well done,” he said as he handed the phone back, eyes twinkling. “You were still cute though.”

He winked.

_ Actually winked! _

Yuuri ran a hand through his hair and laughed awkwardly, hiding his face. “I was not…” Suddenly, his eyes shot up, smile teasing at his lips. “Hey, I’m not even cute now!”

“Are too.”

“Victor!”

Yuuri swatted his hand over Victor’s shoulder, but before he could pull it back it was snagged by Victor’s fingers, holding him in place against his shoulder. He hadn’t meant to do it. He just… had. Both of their smiles froze in the same moment, both sharing the same uncertainty in their gaze. What was happening? Victor had no idea. All he knew was that he was crazy about the man in front of him, losing himself in those swirls of molten brown, the colour of coffee, and caramel, and cinnamon, and chocolate all rolled into one...

Victor’s mouth moved before his mind did - “I think I love you.”

Yuuri’s face froze.

It wasn’t the reaction Victor had been hoping for - not that he’d planned one! The words had bubbled underneath his skin for weeks in shivers when Yuuri touched him, in the flip of his stomach whenever Yuuri smiled at him, in the swell of his heart just  _ feeling  _ when Yuuri was in the room… but when they spilled out of his mouth, even Victor was surprised.

His eyes blinked wide in shock. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t move, frozen in place, stuck. He should never have said anything, but now that he had, he couldn’t take it back.

Because it was wholly and unequivocally true.

He was in love with Yuuri Katsuki.

The realisation hit him with the force of a freight truck, knocking the air out of his lungs and stealing the gasp from his lips. It numbed his fingers and stopped his heart, watering his eyes until-

Yuuri pulled his hand away.

Victor felt like throwing up when Yuuri pulled back, eyes averted in everywhere but Victor’s direction.  _ Shit.  _ He’d blown it.

Suddenly, Victor felt the overwhelming urge to be anywhere else. For once, he longed for his quiet, dull apartment, with it’s too big rooms and too bare walls. Maybe he should leave. He was only here for Yuuri and if Yuuri couldn’t bear to even look at him anymore, there was no point in him staying. He would only make it worse, upset Yuuri further - and no matter how shit Victor felt, he was sure Yuuri was feeling a hundred times worse.

He didn’t say anything though, didn’t make any motion to move. He just sat there, feeling the air grow colder and colder as Yuuri inched further and further away from him, the echo of his laugh still mockingly fresh in Victor’s ears.

Downstairs, Makkachin barked quietly along to Christmas music playing from the radio. Mariah Carey, Victor recognised - the same song Victor had cheesily quoted to Yuuri after their first kiss at Victor’s doorstep, just days ago. Inside, he groaned. It was a cruel trick from the universe, a cruel twist of fate hearing that song again at the moment Yuuri was rejecting him.

Maybe he should use Makka as his escape excuse; take him home for food, out for a walk, just …  _ anything _ . Anything to get out of the weight of Yuuri’s eyes watching him from across the room, expression impossible to fathom. Victor couldn’t meet it. His gaze crept down to the floorboards by Yuuri’s knees, following the curves and groves of the wood pattern back to his own crossed legs, trying to focus on the way the light danced off the glitter berry juice bottle in his hand instead of -

-the slim, pale fingers closing around the bottleneck, teasing it from Victor’s grasp. It set down beside him with a quiet clink.

Yuuri’s fingers interlaced with his.

“I’ve been thinking,” Victor heard himself say, words barely audible over the hard thump of his own heartbeat in his ears. He felt the heat of his blush hit his face - eyes glued to their interlocked hands on his lap - warmth pricking his cheekbones, the tips of his ears, the back of his neck - “about what I should do going forward. About the film…”

The film would end. Whether in a week, or a month, or a year, the film would inevitably end as it had to. And what then?

Victor wasn’t sure.

He’d been in the business a long time. Too long really, for just his body to get screen time. Not many body doubles were his age in the types of films he specialised in and it was for a reason - his body wouldn’t hold forever, and he wanted his legacy to mean more than just cheap shots of his ass and spread thighs.

But before he could get to any of that, he had to finish the film. He had to finish filming with Yuuri. He didn’t want to think about that.

Yuuri’s hand stiffened in his.

“Yeah, so have I...”

Victor didn’t want to look up. He could already hear the pain in Yuuri’s voice, forcing itself to stay strong despite the crumble behind it. He knew Yuuri. He could already imagine the wide, round eyes, glistening a beautiful brown with uncertainty while nervous breaths sucked just that little bit faster through his lips. Victor knew - in those five weeks - he  _ knew _ Yuuri, in every expression, every tone of voice, every movement.

And he knew he should say it first and put Yuuri out of his misery. They should face the reality. The film would end. Victor was still considering his future and Yuuri … who knew what Yuuri wanted, career or otherwise.

Victor certainly didn’t. 

“Victor, will you…”

Firm hands grasped Victor’s shoulders and pushed him back, snapping his eyes upright - he hadn’t realised how low he’d been hunched until Yuuri pulled him back up again.

The eyes that met him weren’t the ones he expected. They weren’t the round and frightened brown orbs that he’d thought would be glittering at him - they were strong and firm, hardened like solid chocolate marbles. Victor could almost see himself in them, staring back at himself with stark surprise written all over his face. 

Victor felt himself staring long before he remembered to pick his jaw up from the floor, just before the spit pooling in the corner of his mouth could make an embarrassing display. Victor may be a love-sick drunk, and an idiot, and worked with his clothes off, and never any good at falling in love - but he always had his dignity. Kind of. The blush burning at the tips of his ears wasn’t the best example though

“Will you stay with me …” The fingers tightened on Victor’s shoulder, drawing a gasp from him - another thing he hadn’t expected. “Until we finish the film?”

Victor blinked.

Then - like his body wasn’t his own anymore - he smiled.

It was a slow curve of the lips, soft and secret - like he was enjoying a joke to himself. Only the joke was fate, laughing at him in the distance and Victor admiring its play from afar. Just when he thought he knew all the surprises…

He remembered how to move. Tingles ran through his arm as he reached up to numbly snag Yuuri’s wrist, guiding his hand down from his shoulder. For the strength in his eyes, Yuuri’s body bent to Victor’s will surprisingly easy. His arms folded, fingers slack until Victor gathered them up in his hand, pressing the knuckles to his lips. 

“That sounded like a marriage proposal.”

He murmured the words into Yuuri’s warm skin, his eyes dreamily hooded, his heart skipping a beat as Yuuri’s words rolled over and over again in his head on repeat.

Victor dared to dream. He always did. That was his flaw, his weakness - dreaming, chasing those dreams beyond the scope of reality and losing himself in the fantasy story. He prefered the fantasy to the real world. He didn’t regret it - he never would, not when it gave him moments like this, moments that made him feel so alive it was like he’d been sleeping through his twenty seven years until one boy with blue framed glasses looked at him like he was the world itself. It was the fairytale romance reality had tried to convince Victor didn’t exist.

Only - with Yuuri’s eyes welling before him, glinting in the bedroom light behind his glasses lens - it did exist.

And he’d found it.

Yuuri’s lip had barely started to quiver before he pressed his watery eyes shut and threw himself forward, arms around Victor’s neck and face buried into his shoulder.

Victor held him back, arms kind and gentle around his colleague. Around his love. Victor’s breath caught quietly, feeling Yuuri tremble ever so slightly against him, breathing in the lingering scent of cooking that clung to his clothes from helping in the kitchen. Victor closed his eyes, and took another breath, holding Yuuri close. 

“I d-don’t want you to forget me.”

_ I could never forget you,  _ Victor wanted to say back, his eyelashes fluttering against the material of Yuuri’s jumper. He didn’t though, biting his tongue. 

His throat ran dry. “Promise?” he said instead, voice trembling.

It mattered.

Because if Yuuri really didn’t want Victor to forget him, then he wouldn’t. He really wouldn’t, if Yuuri meant it too.

He would fall asleep every night with Yuuri’s face in his mind, and wake up every morning with his name fresh on his lips. He would remember Yuuri in every cable knit sweater he saw. He would think of him whenever he peeled his shirt off and look around for where Yuuri should be doing the same beside him. Every stretch of ice would remind him of their dates and everytime he tasted berries he would think back to this moment, exchanging their promise on Christmas day under the hanging mistletoe.

Wait -  _ what _ ? 

Victor’s eyes canted suddenly upwards, catching the glistening plastic of the fake mistletoe glint in the light against the pale ceiling. His eyebrows dipped together slightly. Had that always been there?

Yuuri followed his movement, chin lifting from Victor’s shoulder. 

“Mistletoe...”

Victor’s breath shuddered out of his lungs, tongue darting out to wet his suddenly dry lips as Yuuri sat back on his heels, pulling out of Victor’s embrace. His eyes dropped at the same moment as Yuuri’s. They caught each other’s gaze effortlessly - clear crystal to caramel brown - their fingers bumping between their knees. Warmth sighed over Victor’s lips, tinged with berries and Yuuri. His eyelashes fluttered, chest tight. 

“ _ Victor... _ ”

Yuuri stared at Victor through his dark eyelashes, eyes unfairly round, and demure, and adorable, and … 

“In that case,” Victor found himself leaning forward before he could help it, his fingers already reaching for Yuuri’s, fingertips grazing over the backs of his cold knuckles. “I hope the film never finishes.”

He barely felt the cold kiss of the tear drop running down his cheek, barely cared about the way his fluttering eyelashes caught, sticking together. His ribcage tightened around his boldly thumping heart until every beat pulsed through the length of his body, shuddering in his bones. He didn’t mind. He didn’t care. He let his eyes water freely, let his body bow forward into Yuuri’s inviting embrace, skin zinging to life at every cell that touched. Fingers curled together on Victor’s lap, eyes fluttering shut. 

Victor wasn’t sure who kissed who first.

He wasn’t sure if his hand curled in Yuuri’s hair first or if it was Yuuri’s in his. He wasn’t sure if it was him that pulled Yuuri down to the floor or the other way around. He wasn’t sure who took their shirt off first, the touch of warm skin making them both moan in a way that was probably too loud for the thin walls of Yuuri’s family’s onsen. The Christmas music on the radio downstairs turned louder, drowning them out. Victor didn’t care.

All he knew was that by the time they stopped - curled up on Yuuri’s floor in a tangle of limbs and blankets, Yuuri’s head resting over Victor’s still racing heart - Christmas Day had long passed.

 

* * *

Victor’s birthday present came late. Three days late, in the middle of his and Yuuri’s lunch break post-Christmas sale shopping spree, to be precise, in front of a still snowy cathedral. 

With Victor’s hand in Yuuri’s and a gold ring on his finger, to be exact. 

* * *

 

 

At the end of January, Yuri Plisetsky had his arms tightly folded across his chest in the airport arrivals lounge, his hoodie drawn up and his earphones dangerously loud in his ear. His foot tapped anxio- no,  _ impatiently _ , eyes glued to the arrivals gate. Otabek’s flight had landed fifteen minutes ago. Yuri couldn’t wait to see his long distance boyfriend again after so long.

He hadn’t gone back to his internship since Christmas yet, too busy organising, planning, preparing… he’d waited months for this visit. He and Otabek were going to make the most of it.

And whatever he did, he would keep him away from those two idiotic, lovesick morons-

Something tapped his shoulder.

Yuri’s head jerked up so fast his neck clicked, heart already in his mouth, expecting to see his boyfriend’s strong jaw, casually pushed back black hair, and dark eyes…

That was not what he got.

His earphones popped out of his ears, jaw dropping in shock. “Hey, what are you-”

He didn’t get to finish - not before  _ Victor Nikiforov _ stuck his hand in Yuri’s face, teeanger flinching back a beat just in time to stare at Victor’s knuckles before they made contact with his cheek. The air knocked out of his lungs, brain slowly clicking into place the grey hair behind the hand, the unmistakable Yuuri Katsuki clinging to the older actor’s arm, and something gold glittering at the base of Victor’s outstretched fingers, shining in the too-bright light of the airport. 

It took a moment for Yuri’s eyes to adjust and for his brain to catch up. When it did, his eyes popped.

“You got marr-”

“We got married!”

Victor’s hand whipped back to attach itself back to Yuuri - who was blushing pink at Victor’s side with a shy smile that looked way too pleased with himself. It made Yuri’s stomach turn through his surprise.

_ He’d only been out of the office for a few weeks … _

He hadn’t even known they were together -  _ even though half the crew on set had bets on when they would inevitably get it on _ \- let alone engaged!

Yuri watched with horror as Victor all but bounced on the spot with his arms around his  _ husband _ , while Yuuri stood there beaming, hand tight around their passports and watching Victor with an adoring twinkle in his eye.  _ They were both gross _ , Yuri thought with a grimace. Just when they couldn’t get any more ridiculous to work with and now this…

Finally, Yuuri’s eyes shifted from his clingy husband to Yuri, mouth opening. He was always the more sane of the two - but still ridiculous. Maybe he’d be sensible for both of them, Yuri hoped; say something about how it wouldn’t change work, how they’d stay professional.

All those hopes dashed in a heartbeat.

“Might get a shag at last.” Yuuri winked, eyes sparkling.

Winked.

_ Actually winked _ . More than winked - he did Victor’s wink! Yuri would recognise that anywhere.

He fought the urge to put his head in his hands and scream. He was going to have to work with this _ every damned day… _

But not today. 

Today, Victor just gaped at his husband with a flush quickly rising to his cheeks, while Yuri rolled his eyes away, inching space between him and the newlyweds like he didn’t know them. He didn’t want to see. He was much too busy picking up his jaw from the floor as he turned around right into the smiling face of his boyfriend behind him, gleeful and  _ how much had he seen- _

His eyes flickered over Yuri’s head. “Friends of yours?”

Yuri didn’t even dare look at whatever was going on behind him, the distinctive wet smack of lips tipping him off enough.

“No,” he shook his head. “Never seen them before in my life.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! Hope everyone has a great Christmas/ Victor's birthday!! - difficult deciding which one is _really_ the more important purpose of the 25th December, really...
> 
> If you liked it, please drop me a comment or some kudos because that would honestly mean the world to me rn!!
> 
> If you follow any of my other fics, I apologise for the delays. I have ideas for my AOT AU and the Accounting AU but I'm also in that place where ideas just don't want to present themselves in the form of connecting nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs, so .... yeah, great. I'm struggling, I'm not going to lie. But luckily Christmas will be over soon - and don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but the lack of a routine of going to work over the festive season just throws me out of wack with my depression rather than give me more time to write - so hopefully I'll get back on track in the new year for everyone's sake!!
> 
> So to end on a positive note, Merry Christmas and happy holidays and -
> 
>  
> 
> _-go follow my[tumblr](https://justrae2010.tumblr.com/) or Santa will put you on his naughty list!!!_


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